Eternal Flame
by TheLittle MissVixen
Summary: Drawn together and not pulling away. A little piece set after 8x16 because I am not ready to say goodbye yet and I needed my Delena fix.
1. Eternal Flame

**What did you guys think of the finale? Honestly I'm still processing the fact that there won't be any new TVD from now on.**

 **Feel free to send me a message if you want to discuss it.**

 **I'm not ready to say goodbye to this characters which is why I decided to write this small piece. Please forgive me if there are any mistakes, this isn't corrected and English is not my native language.**

 **I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Love,**

 **Sam**

* * *

I believe it's meant to be, darlin'  
I watch you when you are sleeping  
You belong with me  
Do you feel the same  
Am I only dreaming  
Or is this burning an eternal flame

 **-Eternal Flame-**

 **.**

 **.**

His black boots stomped on the cream colored linoleum floor as he paced back and forth in front of the big white hospital bed. His arms were crossed in front of his chest stretching the thin material of his gray t-shirt over his biceps.

"Is it weird that I feel slightly turned on by you right now?" The soft voice of his wife made him halt before turning to face her and giving her an 'are you kidding me' look.

"Normally I would be all in with you being turned on by me but I think we have more important things to think of right now" His voice had a fearful edge to it and she couldn't help but smile at it, she had never seen him so distressed and truth be told she found it to be cute.

"Damon I'm fine" She told him tenderly "Everything's going to be fine" She moved so she was able to sit straighter, her hand going to rest on top of her almost nine months pregnant belly.

"What is it? Is it time already?" His eyes brimmed with panic as he eyed the hand on her belly.

"No, Damon" She smiled "Come here" She extended her hand and he sighed before walking towards her and sitting next to her on the bed "Don't be so nervous, everything is going to be fine"

"How do you know?"

"You do realize I'm almost a doctor right?" She moved the hair out of his forehead and caressed his face softly "I see these things on daily basis Damon. We are all going to be okay"

"It's just everything seems so finite and dangerous these days" He said with defeat in his voice and Elena smiled sympathetically at him.

The transition had been harder for Damon than it was for her, after all he had been a vampire for over a century; He barely remembered how to be human. The first couple of years had been the hardest, he struggled a lot to find his place in this new world that had opened in front of his eyes, especially since he carried a lot of a guilt for the sacrifice Stefan had made for them and the fear… Damon was terrified of not seeing his brother again.

Elena saw it in his eyes every day, he was happy with their life and she knew it but once in a while a troubled and fearful gleam appeared on his gaze and she knew he was thinking about his brother. It was the same kind of look she had seen on Caroline's face on more than one occasion.

Elena understood, Damon got the girl and the life he always wanted but in the way he lost the other love of his life. The day Stefan died a part of Damon died too and she knew he wasn't ever going to be the same. Damon's happy ending was a bittersweet one and Elena's heart ached every time she thought about it.

"Trust me on this one Damon, it's going to be okay" He took the hand that was resting on his cheek and kissed it softly.

"I always trust you"

They stared at each other in silence for a few minutes, their eyes telling the million things they weren't able to articulate at the moment. It had always been like this for them, the words weren't needed once you knew the other person's soul inside out.

The door burst open and their blonde vampire friend walked in wearing the biggest grin they had ever seen on her face "There you are!" Elena smiled back at her as she walked towards them "Damon seemed so urgent that I thought I might not catch you"

"Damon is over reacting" Elena said sweetly while giving her husband a teasing smile.

"What a surprise!" Caroline joked as her brother-in-law sent her a nasty glance.

"Keep it up blondie and I'll kick you out"

"Yeah right, we both now I am stronger than you now"

"Don't test me Barbie" He gave her a warning glance but the corners of his lips tipped up in a smile "We are in a stressful situation right now and I don't need you making it worse"

"Oh come on this is piece of cake Damon" Caroline said with a roll of her eyes "Imagine your babies draining the magic out of you while a bunch of murderous heretics stand around the operating table while you lay there unconscious . Now that was a hard delivery"

"Yeah yeah we get it; you're super mom and bla bla bla"

"I'm just saying there's nothing to worry about" The blonde girl gave him a reassuring smile.

Elena watched the exchange between her friend and her husband with a smile on her face. She could still remember how happy Caroline had been the first time she and Damon broke up so many years ago, she even memorized his break up and speech and now she was one of the people who supported him the most and who had been there for him during the hard transition from vampire to human. Losing Stefan had created a very deep and beautiful bond between them.

"Ouch" An intense pain overcame Elena's body and she took both of her hands to her belly as Damon's eyes stared at her frantically "Damn it" She cursed at the pain hit her again.

"Are you okay?" He stood up and leaned over her, his blue eyes filled with fear and worry.

"I'm fine" Elena answered through clenched teeth. She thought she heard Caroline mumbling about finding a doctor but she couldn't be sure because the pain hit her again so strongly she felt nauseous.

With the life she had led so far Elena knew a lot about physical pain, she had been tortured, burned, bitten, stabbed and had her neck broken a couple times but in that moment she swore none of that hurt as much as the pain cursing through her body.

"Elena? Baby are you okay?" Damon asked as he removed the hair that had fallen onto her face and was sticking onto her sweaty forehead.

"It's going to be okay Damon; it's going to be okay"

He nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from her body. Damon had known a lot of fear and loss in his long life but none of that compared to the fear he was feeling right now. The idea of losing Elena was something that haunted him ever since he woke up as a human.

There was no way he would survive if he lost her.

 _ **Say my name  
Sun shines through the rain  
A whole life so lonely  
And then come and ease the pain  
I don't want to lose this feeling,**_

 _ **.**_

His black boots resounded on the cream colored linoleum floor of the hospital hallway as he paced back and forth in front of the rows of chairs placed against the wall. A frown was present on his face and his hands were crossed in front of his chest.

"What happened? Is he born yet?" Bonnie asked as she and Jeremy rushed into the hallway where Damon and Caroline were waiting for news on Elena. The blonde girl eyed them suspiciously; apparently she was the only one that noticed them spending a lot of time together lately but decided not to comment on it, it was neither the time nor the place.

"They had to perform a C-section" She informed them instead "She's in the operating room right now but they wouldn't let Damon in because he was too distressed"

Jeremy chuckled and Damon send a nasty glance in his direction "Don't mess with me baby Gilbert" He snapped

"He's a bit touchy" Caroline whispered "Did you check on The Grill?" She asked them after a while.

"Yeah, everything is taken care of" Jeremy said as he took a seat next to the blonde girl "I'll be working on it until things settle down" He said eying the distressed Damon.

After waking up as a new person Damon Salvatore had no idea of what he was supposed to do for a living. He hadn't worked in over a century so things were a little bumpy in the beginning, he tried a few things but once he and Elena moved back to Mystic Falls he decided to put money of the Salvatore trust found out and buy The Grill, honoring a conversation he and Elena once had where she told him he was going to have his own bar in her human fantasy.

"They're taking too long" Damon muttered

"It's normal Damon" Bonnie placed a hand on his shoulder "She's a fighter, she'll be okay" Damon only nodded unable to believe the words his friend was saying. God knew he was only going to breathe peacefully again when he had his girl back in his arms.

 _ **Close your eyes, give me your hand  
Do you feel my heart beating  
Do you understand**_

 _ **.**_

Elena's eyes opened slowly to find her husband sitting next to her on the bed, her hand encased between his and his thumb rubbing slow circles on her wrist. Her body felt battered, like a train had ran over her but she also felt peace, a peace so deep she couldn't explain. She had been dreaming something… she couldn't remember but she knew it had been beautiful.

"Hi" He whispered softly, his lips curling into that devious smirk she loved so much. "Welcome back"

"Hi" She smiled back and lifted her free hand to touch his cheek "Is everything okay?"

"Perfect" He tilted his face and kissed the open palm that was in his cheek "You were perfect"

"Is he okay?"

"Our son is more than okay" His eyes sparkled with happiness and Elena felt something ease inside her. It was the happiest she had seen him since Stefan had died and she felt so happy to be able to give this joy to him. "Do you want to meet him?"

Elena nodded and he kissed her forehead before getting up and disappearing behind the door. Elena waited patiently for him, the beep of the machines being the only sound in the room besides her breathing.

In less than she expected the door opened again and Damon walked in rolling a bassinet in front of him. Elena's breath got caught in her throat when she saw the first glimpse of the sleeping baby in it; he was covered in a blue blanket and had great amounts of dark hair "I want to hold him, please Damon" She whispered.

Damon leaned down and picked the baby up; Elena's eyes welled with tears at the image of her newborn son in the arms of his father. The devious vampire who arrived in town to create havoc so many years ago was now handling a baby with so much care and love; it amazed her to see the person he had become.

Once upon a time he told her that she would have liked him if she met him when he was human in 1864 and Elena was sure she would have, just like she liked the version he was when he told her that and like she liked the version he was now.

The truth was she never had a choice when it came to Damon, she was drawn to him since the moment her eyes met his and she was never going to pull away.

Damon gave her everything she always wanted and she was never going to let him go. She knew in her heart that they were going to be together even after the last breath left their bodies.

He bowed down to her and placed the baby in her open arms, the minute he was in her arms a love so deep and pure overwhelmed her. They had created this together, the one thing she dreamed of but knew she wasn't going to get was now resting in her arms, proving her that miracles were real and she was holding the most precious one.

"He is perfect" Elena whispered in awe as she caressed her son's rosy cheek.

Damon sat down next to her and peered down at his son "He is" He whispered before placing a kiss on his wife's temple.

The baby in Elena's arms opened his eyelids and she found herself staring at the most beautiful pair of blue eyes, eyes the resembled the ones of the man sitting next to her. "Hey there" She coed softly as the baby moved and a small smile started to appear on his face.

Damon let out a breathless chuckle, delighted at the beauty of the infant in his wife's arms "Welcome to the world Stefan Alexander Salvatore" He whispered as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

His son's eyes rested on his and in that moment Damon understood there was nothing to be afraid of. Because if the world allowed him to share this moment with Elena and create something as perfect as the baby in her arms it was because there was something good inside him. Something Elena saw when she took a chance on him and his brother did too when he sacrificed himself for Damon to get his happiness.

And if there was something good in him it meant that he had the chance of finding peace, and in peace he would be reunited with his brother, and his wife and every single person that meant something to him in this journey they called life.

And that's how it happened, in a hospital bed with his wife next to him and their son in her arms Damon Salvatore got rid of his fears and embraced the life that had been gifted to him once upon a time when his brother decided he was worth saving.

 **THE END**

* * *

 **REVIEW?**


	2. The journey doesn't end here

**Honestly guys I have no idea if this things are going to keep coming out or if this is the last one. I only know that I'm not ready to say goodbye to this characters yet and this is my way of getting it all out.**

 **Hope you like this little piece,**

 **Let me know what you think**

 **Love**

 **Sam**

* * *

"I didn't think it would end this way.

End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path, one that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass, and then you see it.

What? Gandalf? See what?

White shores, and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.

Well, that isn't so bad.

No. No, it isn't."

 **-The return of the king-**

 **.**

 **.**

Damon sat at the foot of the bed watching as the life slowly ebbed away from his wife's body. He took her long and slender hand into his and caressed the back of it softly, the wrinkled skin feeling almost like paper to his touch.

Her eyes were closed and the only sign of the life running through her body was the barely visible but steady rise and fall of her chest and the warmness of her hand. Damon stared with tears in his eyes at the woman that had been his companion for the last fifty years, to the woman who gave him three beautiful children and more happiness than what he ever expected to get.

Elena had saved his life in every way that counted and had given him a reason to live, to be better. She had walked next to him when he entered the long road of a human life and never once thought of abandoning him even when things got hard. She brought light into his life and made him wish for things he didn't know he wanted.

Elena Gilbert fixed him and turned him into someone who was worthy of love. They built a life together and now it was time for her to start another journey on her own.

"Thank you" Her soft whisper made him lift his eyes and found her staring at him with a peaceful smile on her face.

"What for? I'm the one who should be thanking you" His lips curled into his trademark smirk, the one who could still made her heart race after fifty years.

"For giving me a love that consumed me. Passion, adventure and even a little danger." Her words echoing the ones he had told her the first time they met so many years ago in a desert road. "You are the greatest love of my life Damon"

His eyes filled with tears as he moved closer to her "You are the greatest love of my life" His voice broke down at the end of the sentence as he leaned down to embrace her, his head going to rest in the crook of her neck as the tears started to fall down his cheeks. Damon Salvatore was not a man who cried easily but there was no way for him to hold back as he watched the life drain away from the love of his life.

"You know there's peace out there right?" Elena told him softly as she lifted her hand and started petting the soft gray hair on his head "We'll see each other again my love" Damon wasn't able to form any words instead he only nodded and held her tightly "Damon… I will always find my way back to you"

He raised his head and stared into the beautiful brown eyes that had captivated him so long ago, the innocence and warmth was still in them and it always felt like a punch to his heart to stare directly into them "You saved me" He whispered and she smiled gently before bringing his head towards her and kissing his lips softly.

"I love you Damon Salvatore"

"I love you too"

And they stayed like that, intertwined in each other as the minutes trickled by and her breaths became shallow. He stayed next to her until her eyes closed and even afterwards.

They would see each other again, she had been certain and he never believed in anything the way he believed in her.

The days afterwards seemed to blur together, the only reason Damon kept moving was the strength his children gave him but even so it wasn't enough to bring back the joy he once had for life. His sun had gone down and he no longer had the strength to fight the shadows.

All of their close friends came back for the funeral; even the eternally young Caroline Forbes and he even got a surprise visit from one polished original vampire, Elijah Mikaelson. Tears were shed, stories were told and little by little things started going back to how they always were. Except for Damon, things were never going to be the same for him.

Two weeks after he buried his wife he found himself sitting in the swing of the porch in the house he rebuilt for her. The place where he first kissed her, the place she was sitting down when she first told him she loved him. The wind caressed his face as he closed his eyes and replayed every single one of their moments together.

That's where she found him.

The blonde vampire that became one of his closest friends over the years walked the steps of the porch and sat down next to him without saying a word. Damon and Caroline had made a deal years ago, a deal no one knew about, not even Elena. And tonight Caroline had come to honor that deal.

"I'm ready" She whispered after sitting down next to Damon for a while.

His blue eyes looked at her with tenderness before he spoke "Are you sure?"

She nodded as her eyes brimmed with tears "Forever is an awful long time without the one you love. I'm ready" She repeated.

Damon nodded and watched as the fangs of a forever seventeen year old Caroline grew; he raised his wrist to her and closed his eyes as her fangs pierced his skin, robbing him of the cure his brother injected him with so long ago.

Giving him a chance to be reunited with his brother and wife once again and taking the blonde girl one step closer to seeing the love of her life again.

Damon left the world surrounded by the love of his children and the few friends he managed to collect along the way. They mourned him and cried for him but he couldn't hear them anymore.

He was now standing in front of the door that would take him to the one person he had missed for the last fifty years.

"Hello brother" He whispered as their eyes met again after so long.

Peace was real.

And they were all going to be together in it.

 **THE END**


	3. Never Stop

**Not my best work but I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

I'll never stop holding your hand  
I'll never stop opening your door  
I'll never stop choosing you babe  
I'll never get used to you

 **-Never Stop-**

 **.**

 **.**

"Damon come here" Elena sighed as she watched her husband peeking out behind the curtains of their living room. The living room of the house he rebuilt for her after they started their new life as humans.

"Not yet. It's almost ten o'clock. I specifically told her ten o'clock" He said distraught as his eyes stared into their front porch

"Dear lord, you're overreacting" She chuckled "Jason is a nice kid; she'll be okay with him"

"Everyone is a nice kid until they chop off your body and hide it in the fridge"

"Damon, he is Matt's son, honestly there couldn't someone better for her"

"Exactly, why in the world she had to put her eyes in the quarterback's son?" Damon whined as he let the drapes close and turned to find the amused face of his wife. "Where did I go wrong with her?"

"He's a nice guy Damon. He's pretty much like Matt"

"You're not helping his cause"

Elena laughed and extended her arms towards him "Come here" He sighed and walked into the open arms of his wife who was currently sitting in the couch.

Damon had been terrified when they found out they were having a baby girl. He used to stay awake at night thinking in all the bad things that happen to girls all over the world, Elena would wake up and comfort him but the fear never left him, he had done his fair share of bad things to girls over the years and was terrified of someone harming his daughter in any way.

Boys were easy he had said; girls terrify me.

Since the minute Ophelia was born she had him wrapped around her finger, he was the most doting and devoted father there could be, Elena couldn't help but feel her heart bursting with love every time she saw them together.

An Ophelia was a nice girl, well behaved, obedient and lovely. She had turned fifteen a few weeks ago and was on her first official date with Jason, Matt's son. Damon had not been happy with the idea at all.

"Matt was always the sweetest of boys just like Jason, he'll take care of her" Damon dropped himself in the couch next to her and dragged her into his arms.

"I really don't want to hear about your time with Donovan" He complained and she rolled her eyes at his childish attitude "Thought I'm sure he has nothing on me"

"No he doesn't"

"He never gave you the passion you needed" Damon whispered as he leaned his head towards hers.

"No one but you" She answered with a smirk before he took her lips in a sensual kiss. Damon and Elena continued to be as passionate for each other as they had been at the begging. Neither the years or the children or the work had done something to diminish their need for each other, they felt as in love as they had been at the beginning of their relationship.

"Oh come on, seriously guys. That's gross" Damon and Elena broke apart with a chuckle at hearing their eldest son words. "I will have to go and bleach my brain to survive"

"You wish you had a relationship as passionate as the one-"Stefan raised both hands in the air in front of himself, interrupting his father's words

"Please dad, just stop right there"

Elena laughed at the horrified look in her son's face "It's not like we have to give you the bees and flowers talk" Damon continued "We've seen that Alicia girl sneaking out of your room in the morning"

"And the other one too" Elena gave him an accusing glance

"Oh yeah I think she means Claire" Damon added

"Which by the way I don't want ever happening again, this is not a hotel Stefan" Elena pointed at him with her index finger as she admonished him for his womanizing ways.

"You know what. I'll be in the kitchen" Stefan scurried off as fast as he could to the kitchen while Damon chuckled from the couch.

Damon and Elena laughed softly to themselves before they heard the front door open and turned around to find their two nephews walking inside with their parents behind them.

"Why everyone has a key to our house?" Damon muttered under his breath before Elena smacked his arm.

Both kids rushed to her "Aunt Elena where is-?"

"Robby is in his room" Elena said with a smile referring to her twelve year old son. She watched with a smile on her face as the kids ran up the stairs, they remind her of the times when she, Bonnie and Caroline used to ran around the house too.

"Is she back yet?" Bonnie said before dropping herself in the couch next to Elena.

"No, we're waiting" Elena said to her friend.

"I must say I thought you'll be more stressed about this" Jeremy said and sat in the couch opposite from them.

Bonnie and Jeremy somehow found their way back to each other over the years, Elena knew that her friend would always love Enzo and would treasure his memory forever but she was glad to see her so happy with Jeremy and to see the family they had created.

"Don't start please" Elena warned her little brother.

"Just wait until they get here. She's 10 minutes past her curfew" Damon muttered as he got up from the couch and retrieved a glass of bourbon before going back to the window.

"This is ridiculous" Bonnie joked

"Totally over bearing father" The youngest Gilbert said

"You're just lucky you never got any girls He-Man" Damon mumbled in direction of Jeremy "I'll bet you would be all over their boyfriends"

"Not true"

"You're worse than Ric when the twins started dating" Bonnie said to Damon while Elena got up and went to her husband who was pulling away the curtain to peek outside.

"Don't be so sure about that, he offered to lend me a crossbow for this one"

"Dude this family is so weird" Stefan who had re-entered the living room said as he let himself fall in the couch his parents had vacated.

Damon turned to Elena "Can you tell me which one of all the atrocities I did I'm paying for with my first born talking like a young Jeremy Gilbert?" He said with a wince before sipping his bourbon.

"Hey!" Jeremy shouted offended at the comment.

"Look they're here" Elena said excitedly as she half closed the curtain so it wouldn't be obvious that they were spying on them. Bonnie, Jeremy and even Stefan got up from their seats and stood behind Damon and Elena peeping outside the window.

They watched as the blonde Jason Donovan opened the door of his car for Ophelia to walk out and held her hand as they walked to the porch. The girl was looking at him with stars on her eyes and the smile he send her could blind anyone.

They watched as he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek "Awww look at it so sweet" Elena and Bonnie squealed.

"A peck in the cheek? Seriously?" Jeremy murmured with a raised eye brow.

"What's Donavan teaching his son?" Damon scowled "No wonder all his girlfriends abandoned him" He said with a smirk.

Bonnie smacked him "Don't be mean"

"It's the first date" Elena said while leaning her head on his shoulder with a smile on her face.

He looked down at her with a heated glance "Do you want to recall what we did after our first date?"

Stefan grimaced "Dad please just stop. I might need therapy after this"

"Tell me about it" Jeremy muttered, remembering all the times he had to watch Damon and Elena and their over the top PDA.

Ophelia turned around as Jason headed back to his car. Damon dropped the curtain and they scattered over the living room quickly, pretending no one was standing in the window five seconds ago.

The door opened and the young girl walked inside, heading directly to the living room where everyone was currently sitting down in the most casual of ways.

"Were you all looking behind the curtain?" Her arms were crossed over her chest and her hazel eyes roamed the room with suspicion.

"NO!" They all said a little too fast.

"Yeah right" She rolled her eyes.

"How did it go?" Elena asked with an excited smile

"It was perfect" Ophelia's smile was dreamy and it reminded Elena a lot of the one she carried around all day after the first night she spend with Damon.

"Are you sure? Don't you want to think about it a little more?" Damon said with a suddenly very serious expression.

Ophelia chuckled "Don't overreact daddy" She walked towards the couch where her parents were and sat in the armrest "You know you're still my number one" She leaned down and placed a kiss on her father's cheek.

"And that is how she gets away with everything" Damon mumbled "I hate that you got your mother's charm" He pouted as Elena smacked him across the chest.

"I want all the details later" Elena whispered and winked at her daughter.

"Of course"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that" Damon mumbled as Ophelia got up and started heading towards the stairs.

"Good night guys" She waved them before start climbing.

"Good night" Everyone answered.

"Well this was enlightening" Jeremy said and they all burst out laughing. It was in moments like these where Damon missed his brother the most, he wanted to share all of his experiences with him. He had wanted for him to be there on the day of his wedding like they had talked about once upon a time, the day his first son was born, birthdays, celebrations. He was supposed to have all of that with him but he couldn't.

As if sensing he was getting sad Elena snuggled into him and he put his arm around his wife as Stefan excused himself and no one remained in the room but his brother in law and his best friend.

Damon wished his brother was here to share these moments with him but he somehow knew that Stefan was watching over him right now, he didn't know how but he could feel it.

A smile appeared on his face at the thought.

"Cheers brother" He thought as he raised his glass in the air.


	4. My life, my love, my only

Hey there!

I think this might actually be the last one, I think I need to step away from Delena a bit or I will never get out of this funk, especially since I'm incredibly angry because they didn't shot the proposal scene because the script was too long but there was time for Vick Donovan reuniting with her father, what is this life? God knows Caroline Dries would have never allowed that to happen but we got stuck with Plec and Williamson and there's nothing we can do about it now

Hope you like this little piece

* * *

You are my life, I don't deserve you  
But you love me just the same  
And as the mirror says we're older  
I will not look the other way  
You are my life, my love, my only  
And that's the one thing that won't change

 **Never Stop**

 **.**

 **.**

Elena sighed as she climbed the porch steps; It had been an exhausting day and she was ten seconds away of face planting on the floor. The hospital had been chaotic today and Stefan had been sick the last couples of days so she barely had any time to sleep; she wanted nothing more than to crawl underneath the covers and disappear from the rest of the world.

But of course that was not going to be possible and she realized this as she opened the front door and found Damon and Caroline leaning over a fuzzy Stefan in the couch.

"What is going on?" She asked as she walked towards them and dropped her bag in the coffee table "How is he doing?" She called Damon several times during the day but she hadn't been able to do it as much as she would have liked.

"He's fine" Caroline said softly "He just got a fever and it's a big fuzzy" Elena walked to the couch and her infant son immediately extended his arms so her mom would pick him up, she did and he immediately snuggled into her "He only needed his mom, told you" Caroline told Damon.

"Well how was I supposed to know that?" Damon said defensively and Elena walked to him and gave him a soft quick kiss in the lips "Did you already give him something?"

"Yeah we did" He answered and smiled tiredly at her. Elena knew had had been busy with The Grill lately but he offered to stay with Stefan today so she didn't have to ask for any days in the hospital. Stefan was a very healthy baby and at one and a half years this was the first time he got sick, Damon was having a hard time handling it. "But first I called Blondie"

"Why?" Elena asked as she peered down at her son. His eye lids were growing heavy so she knew he would be completely asleep in any minute. She placed her hand on his forehead and felt him warm but not too hot "I think the fever might be breaking down" She said as she gestured for Caroline to hand the thermometer that was resting on the coffee table to her.

"He asked for my blood" The blonde answered as she gave Elena the device.

Elena's eyes widened as she stared at Damon "You what?" She shrieked, startling a very tired Stefan. She kissed his forehead to calm him down and placed the thermometer in his ear "Damon you can't give our baby vampire blood"

"I know, I know" He sounded defeated as he let himself fall into the couch "But he was crying and I could see he was in pain and I didn't know what to do. I'm not used to the human part of all of this" He rubbed his hands in his temples as Caroline and Elena looked at him sympathetically.

To say that the adjustment to human life on Damon had been hard was an understanding. He was a vampire for such a long time and he was used to having a magical solution to everything so to see his child in pain and not being able to do anything to fix it was the hardest thing he had to face so far.

"He no longer has fever" Elena said while looking at the thermometer "He's going to be fine Damon, he's a baby and he's not used to feeling sick so he's fuzzy but it's nothing serious. I promise"

"I know" He nodded and got up from the couch looking at the child in her arms "Can you please let me hold him now?" His eyes were pained and she felt her heart breaking for him, it was so weird thing to see such vulnerability in him.

He got closer to her and Elena handed over a sleeping Stefan to him, the child stirred and once he was in his father's arms snuggled into his chest. It made her heart melt to see the two people she loved the most in the world together.

After Elena thanked Caroline and said goodbye to her she and Damon shared a quick meal together and she headed to the bathroom to take a shower while Damon put Stefan to sleep, since he was sick Damon had transported his crib into their room so they could keep an eye on him all night.

Elena sighed as the hot water fell on her skin, relaxing her aching muscles and making her even sleepier than she already was so she took her shower as fast as she could so she could crawl into their bed. Once she was over she put on a small pair of shorts and a thank top and was brushing her teeth when Damon walked into the bathroom.

"Cute PJ's" He said and she couldn't help but smile at him. Thinking of how far they've had come since the first time he told her those words.

"Is he settled already?" She asked before leaning down to rinse her mouth.

"Sleeping like an angel" He answered and moved to stand behind her "Nobody said it was going to be this hard right?"

He wrapped his arms around her from behind and she let her head fall back into his chest "Well Ric did kind of warned us"

"He did" Damon answered "I'm sorry I asked Caroline for her blood"

"It's okay Damon" Elena said as she met his eyes in the mirror, she would never stop being amazed at the emotion she found in there every time he looked at her "I understand your fears, you weren't used to this kind of things but let's just not give our child vampire blood ever… only if it's a life and death thing"

"Deal" He smirked and leaned down to press a kiss underneath her ear "I want another one"

"You what?" She wasn't able to hide the surprise in her voice.

"Another baby. I want another child with you" His voice was soft as she whispered the words in her ear and his hands went underneath her tank top to caress the soft skin of her belly.

"Damon Salvatore the biggest meanest ex-vampire in Mystic Falls is asking me for another child?" She teased him and craned her neck so she could stare into his face.

"Yeap" He touched his nose with hers and she smiled at the contact "Never thought I would be saying those words either"

Elena breathed in his scent and nuzzled her face into his. Motherhood had been harder than what she thought specially because she had to balance it with her work at the hospital but there was nothing this man could ask her that she wouldn't give to him.

And truth be told the idea of carrying his child again made a thrill ran down her body, there was a time when she thought motherhood was never going to be in her future but she was given a second chance and she planned to take full advantage of it.

"Do you think I could ever say no to you?"

"You have before" He smirked before giving her a kiss that left her breathless.

"But you always managed to get under my skin until I couldn't keep refusing you"

"Is that a yes?"

"It's a yes"

She turned around and stepped on her tip toes to fully kiss him, her hands tangling in his dark hair as his hands moved to her back to steady her and press her closer to his body.

Later that night Elena woke up to a dark room and an empty bed but before she could make a move she heard him singing softly. A smile appeared on her face as she rolled onto her side towards the place were Stefan's crib was placed and found her husband sitting on the floor, shirtless and with their child pressed into his chest as he sang a sweet lullaby to him.

Elena knew which one it was, he sang it to Stefan all the time. He told her once that even though things ended up badly with his mom he would always treasure the good moments they had, that lullaby was one of them.

She stared with tears in her eyes to one of the most beautiful scenes she had ever seen. Life had been hard on them but she would do it all again just to have this moment.

Elena knew that what she was feeling in that moment was what true happiness should feel like.


	5. Still get my heart racing

**Okay, so I was feeling inspired and this little piece came off. I hope there are not a lot of mistakes and that you enjoy it. If any of you have any requests please feel free to tell me and I'll do my best to write it for you.**

 **Love,**

 **Sam**

* * *

This is my love song to you  
Let every woman know I'm yours  
So you can fall asleep each night, babe  
And know I'm dreaming of you more  
You're always hoping that we make it  
You always want to keep my gaze  
Well you're the only one I see  
And that's the one thing that won't change

 **-Never Stop-**

 **.**

 **.**

Elena stepped inside the house as he trailed behind her; her jaw was clenched so tight that a mild headache had started to trouble her. The toddler in her arms kept babbling away without realizing his parents were in the middle of a feud, or at least Elena was because according to Damon there was absolutely no problem.

"Are you seriously not going to talk to me?" He said "You're being ridiculous Elena"

She huffed but didn't answered to him instead she headed to the living room and placed Stefan in the baby playpen they had placed there for him, the infant was soon entertained playing with his toys, completely oblivious to his very angry mother and the annoyed looks she was throwing to his father.

"What you wanted me to do?" Damon said while leaning against the wall and placing one leg in front of the other as he crossed his arms on top his chest, a very subtle smirk was present on his lips and that only made Elena angrier than she already was "It's not my fault that I look like this"

"Ugh" She threw her hands in the air in irritation "You are unbelievable Damon, you're actually gloating about this situation"

"I just don't see what's wrong with this"

"Really? How would you feel if you walked into me almost sitting in another man's lap?" She raised an eye brow in his direction.

His eyes darkened briefly but he composed his expression quickly "She was not sitting on my lap"

"Ugh" She stomped her foot on the floor and it took Damon a lot of self-control not to burst out laughing in that moment. "You're an idiot"

Their problem started this morning when it was Damon's turn to pick up Stefan from daycare, every single mom there loved him but he never took it seriously, he was used to women fanning over him plus they knew he was married to Elena so when one of them asked him to accompany her to the park with the children he didn't thought of saying no, because Stefan needed little baby friends and he honestly didn't see anything bad with it, he even texted Elena letting her know where they were and that she should join them.

Of course when she arrived, Jillian, the other mom had been leaning over him showing him something on her phone and Elena claimed she had been almost sitting on his lap, she wasn't. At least according to Damon.

"Nothing was happening there Elena" He schooled his features to be serious and spoke to her in the softest of voices "It was an innocent request"

"Oh please Damon there was nothing innocent in that" Elena threw at him as she moved closer to where he was standing "That woman wants you in her bed and it's not afraid of showing it"

"Oh come on" He chuckled "How does let's take the kids to the park translate into I want you in my bed"

"I know women Damon" She pointed a finger at him "And she wants you"

He laughed and stepped away from the wall "Elena baby-"

"Don't baby me!" She snapped.

In that moment Jeremy walked down the stairs; He and Bonnie had a weird thing going on, Elena still wasn't sure if they were a couple or not but since she was currently travelling around Prague, Jeremy had made himself a permanent guest in the Salvatore-Gilbert household.

"What's up with you guys?" He said as he walked in the room and saw the furious expression on Elena's face and the annoyed one in Damon's

"Damon the daddy gigolo here thinks I'm stupid" Elena bitted out as her eyes threw daggers at her husband

"Oh let's not start Elena" He warned her, his eyes turned dangerous as they looked at her.

"Okay then, that's my cue to go" Jeremy said awkwardly before his eyes landed on his nephew playing oblivious to the chaos around him "And I'm taking that little guy, too young to be scarred for life" He went to the play pen and retrieved his nephew along with the bag Damon had dropped in the couch.

Elena stood with her arms crossed in front of her and a frown on her face as Jeremy headed towards the front door "We'll be back in a while, I'm going to take him to the park" Damon nodded silently while Elena rolled her eyes.

"STAY AWAY FROM SLUTTY MOMS" She shouted as Jeremy closed the door behind him.

"Okay, you are insane" Damon threw his hands in the air in frustration.

"Is it because I'm old now?" Elena asked

Damon rolled his eyes "Elena you're 28, hardly old"

"I'm technically 32"

He chuckled "The four years you were asleep don't count"

"You don't want me anymore is that it?" She asked as her eyes welled with tears, Damon felt his heart being squeezed as he watched her beautiful brown eyes looking at him sadly.

"What are you talking about?" His tone was softer than the one he used before.

"I mean it makes sense, you spend so long chasing after me that I became this illusion of the perfect woman and I'm not, and now you have me and you've had me for a while and you realize you have no idea what all the fuzz was about" She paced back in fort in front of him as the tears flooded out of her eyes.

He stopped her by placing his hands on her shoulders "Okay you are been insane baby"

"And now I'm older and I'm getting fat again" She whined

"Baby you're not fat; you're 4 months pregnant and barely showing"

"But I will get fat" She cried

He chuckled and took her face between his hands "So? I love seeing you pregnant. Wakes up the caveman inside me" His mouth twisted into a smirk and she huffed before smacking his arm.

"Stop being such an ass. I'm being serious"

"So am I" He wiped the tears that had tainted her cheeks "Don't be silly baby, I still want you as the first day"

"No you don't" She closed her eyes in defeat "You want the slutty moms"

"Of course not" He huffed indignantly and forced her to open her eyes "You're always going to be the only woman in my life. In how many ways do you want me to show it? You are my reason to live Elena, without you I'm nothing" His eyes looked straight into hers; warming her in a way only he knew how to do.

"Don't be cute now"

"It's only the truth" He took her hand and placed it on top of his beating heart, the heart that was dead not so long ago "This only beats for you, you're the one who brought it back to life. This will belong to you forever"

"Damn it Damon"

"What? You can't resist me when I'm being cute?" His voice dropped the sweet tone and became seductive as he leaned his face into hers "Because you understand why all those moms are chasing me"

"Idiot" Elena half breathed

He smiled and rubbed his cheek against hers "Because you can hardly keep your hands off me" His arms sneaked around her waist and pressed her closer to his body "Guess what? I can hardly keep my hands of you too"

It all became a blur of clothes and skin and teeth after that. He took her in the living room couch not even wanting to wait to get her to their bedroom. He devoured her as he made her realize why she would always be the only woman in his life, that none of the others could ever give him what she did. That he would never desire another woman like he desire her.

That she was his and he was hers and that their bodies knew it better than they knew it themselves. He swallowed her cries of pleasure and gripped her closer as his own pleasure overwhelmed him.

And afterwards as he sat in the couch and she straddled him half-dressed he hoped the soft and gentle touches could make her realize how much he loved her and how he was never letting go of her.

"I'm sorry; this pregnancy is making me a bitch" She said before kissing his naked chest softly.

"It's the hormones, I get it." He stroked her hair softly "It's not your fault I'm a women magnet" He snickered

She smacked his chest "Jerk"

"You love me anyway" He leaned down and touched her nose with his, his arms caressing the soft skin of her back.

"That I do" She sighed happily "But I don't want you picking up Stefan anymore"

"You're joking?" He asked with a raised eye brow

"No" She shook her head

"Elena" He said in a warning tone.

"We'll send Jeremy or Caroline"

"You're being ridiculous"

"I don't care"

"Fine" He snorted

She looked at him playfully "You love me"

He smiled widely "I do"

Damon was about to lean to kiss her again when the door opened and Jeremy walked in holding Stefan with a big smile on his face "Well Stefan and I had so much-" His horrified eyes looked at them for a second before turning around and giving his back to them.

Damon chuckled "Perfect timing Little Gilbert. You're such a cockblock like always" He muttered

"Damon! Language!" Elena chided him

He stared at her open mouthed for a second "What? You were talking about the slutty moms…"

"This a damn deja vu" Jeremy mumbled remembering all the times he walked in on her sister and Damon in the past

"Language!" Elena admonished her brother.

Jeremy shook his heads, his back still facing them as Stefan started babbling innocently, once again without realizing the situation "We're just going to go…five hours or so" The youngest Gilbert said before scurrying out of the front door.

Damon and Elena burst out laughing the minute the door closed behind her brother "We're terrible parents" She said between giggles.

"I know" He agreed before kissing her again and standing up with her in his arms.

"What are you doing?" She asked between kisses

"Going to our bedroom" He answered, because if Jeremy and Stefan were going to be out for five hours or so he planned to enjoy every single minute of that time.


	6. Till the world stops turning

"I will love you till the world stops turning and ever after when it comes And all the days between I left for learning what this life's about

So I'll love you till the world stops turning round"

 **-Kaleb Jones-**

 **.**

 **.**

Damon watched helplessly at the clammy face of his fiancée, she was laying the bed with the covers twisted around her legs and her face scrunched up in disgust; he was sitting next to her as he watched her with a heavy heart.

"I think we should go and see a doctor" He said worriedly as he moved the hair that was sticking to her forehead.

"I am a doctor Damon"

"Maybe a better one" He tried to joke but shut his mouth when he saw her glaring eyes looking at him "Baby you've been feeling like this for a week already and you don't seem to get better"

"You're an ass" She muttered under her breath

"I won't hold it against you baby you're not licensed yet" She smacked his arm and stuck her tongue out "Well I think you're feeling better"

It had been going for a few weeks now. Elena would wake up and feel completely sick, she would get nauseous and tired and then would head into work and come back at night feeling even worse. At the begging she thought it was only exhaustion because work had been hectic lately but she didn't know anymore.

Luckily today was her off day and she could stay in bed all day, Damon had decided to take a day as well so he could take care of her properly. In moments like this was when Elena felt like her heart could burst out of her chest with love for that man.

"I still think you should go to the doctor baby" He said seriously "It could be something bad…like consumption"

Elena rolled her eyes at her silly husband "Consumption it's not a thing anymore Damon" She told him "And this weren't the symptoms"

"Well but it could be something else"

Elena laughed slightly; she knew it was probably just a stomach bug but there was nothing more amusing that seeing Damon fuzz over her with something so simple. The whole human thing was still new to him and it was being hard for him to adjust, the first time he got something as simple as a cold it was like the world was ending, he actually thought he was going to die.

"I'll be fine"

He sighed and stroked her hair lovingly; Elena closed her eyes at the sensation and was almost drifting away when a thought hit her. Her eyes flew open and she was met with Damon's confused ones "Is something wrong?"

"Oh my God" Elena said each world carefully as she sat straight in the bed. She raised her hands in front of her and started counting with her fingers.

His eyes scanned her figure frantically "Elena what's wrong? You're worrying me baby"

"Damon…I think I know what's wrong with me" Elena whispered in complete shock. With work and her health and the house she barely had any time to think about it but now it was clearer than ever before, all the symptoms were right there in front of her.

"Elena…?"

"I think I'm pregnant"

"What?" The way his eyes opened as saucers was too comical and she would have laughed her ass off if she wasn't in completely shock still. "Pregnant? Like…with a baby?"

"No, with an alien Damon" She narrowed her eyes at him "Of course with a baby you idiot"

"I was just checking" He answered and she took one of the cushions on the bed and threw it at him "Don't mess with me right now Damon…" She glared and then frowned as another thought occurred to her "I'm going to be a pregnant bride"

"Like they don't know that we have sex already" He smirked and she threw another pillow at him.

"I can't believe I can be pregnant" She whispered in awe as her hands went to her still flat stomach.

"I know. Wow, I mean I didn't know that was possible" He said as he stood up and started pacing the room.

She quirked an eye brow at him "Really? What would you think could happen all those times you-"

"I mean I don't know how that whole cure thing works" He said defensively "Wow a baby" He looked at her body as if suddenly her stomach will pop out at any minute "Like there could be an actual baby in there"

"Yes Damon" Elena said feeling a bit more calmed now. She knew this was a possibility; it was something she had longed for ever since Damon became a human again but having that opportunity at the tip of her fingers was something unreal. "A baby"

"Oh fuck" He started unbuttoning his shirt "Don't you feel like it's hot in here?" He looked frantically around the room and Elena couldn't hold back the giggles that erupted from her mouth "Do you think this is funny?"

"Yes Damon I think it is" She chuckled "You're having a panic attack"

"No I'm not" He answered, his cheeks flushed and his eyes wide in panic "It's just… how can I care for something as tiny and delicate as a baby" His shoulders slumped and Elena felt her heart breaking for him.

She extended her arms to him "Come here Damon" He sighed and moved towards her on the bed. "You'll do fine"

"I don't know" He whispered as he sat down next to her on the bed once again, Elena reached her hand to his face and stroked his cheek

"You underestimate yourself too much Damon" She told him lovingly "I have faith in you"

"How can you?" He asked. Ever since Stefan sacrificed himself for him Damon couldn't help but think it was a mistake, he wasn't the better man, he never was. Turning into a human had been hard and there were moments when he wanted to give up but he didn't. He couldn't because he owed it to his brother and the woman sitting in front of him.

But a baby? How could the world entrust him with someone as innocent and frail like a child? Why he deserved to get that small ray of sunshine after all the chaos he brought in his life? The mere thought terrified him, there were millions things he could screw up and knowing himself he knew he was probably going to do it sooner rather than later.

"Because I love you and because I know you" Elena placed a hand on top of his now beating heart and looked at him with eyes filled with emotion "Because I know you here" She pressed her hand harder into his chest "I know you better than you know yourself and I know you'll do the right thing. You have so much light in you Damon, it's just you can't see it. And you deserve this; you deserve everything good in the world"

"You are the light in my life Elena. You are the best thing that ever happened to me" He said breathlessly before leaning down and kissing her softly. Every time he felt afraid or sad or worried all he had to do was go to her and she would find a way to make it all better, she was his love, his safe place and he would spend his whole life trying to be the man she deserved. "I love you"

"I love you too" She said with a smile "Now go and get a test so we can know"

Half an hour later his eyes filled with tears as he twirled in the air after the two pink lines in the object on her hand told them they were expecting their first child.

His heart was filled with love for this woman and the life growing inside her. He was getting everything he always thought he didn't deserve and would spend the rest of his living days doing the best for taking care of them and being worthy of their love.

For the first time in a while Damon Salvatore felt completely and utterly happy.


	7. Our happy ending

" **I** _ **want every piece**_ **of** _ **me**_ **to** _ **crash into every piece**_ **of** _ **you**_ **, I** _ **swear**_ **to** _ **God that's**_ **how** _ **they make stars"**_

 _ **-Mary Lambert-**_

 _ **.**_

 _ **.**_

Elena smoothed the skirt of her dress and took a deep breath before laughing slightly at her silliness, today was the day she finally was going to become Elena Salvatore and the nerves had been consuming her since late last night. There was really not reason to be nervous, she had been in love with Damon for a long time and living with him for the last couple of years, hell she was three months pregnant already! There was nothing more permanent than that. But Elena had longed for this moment for so long, she dreamt about being his wife too many times to count and she couldn't help the fear that keep nagging at her, telling her there was no way she was getting her happy ending.

"Oh my God" The gasp of her two best friends made her step away from her insidious thoughts. Elena turned around from where she was standing in front of the window and stared at the glistening eyes of the two girls who had been next to her since they were infants.

"So you think I look okay?" She asked in a breathless voice.

Bonnie clapped her hands in front of her "You look like a princess" She whispered in awe and Elena smiled at her.

Her dress was a strapless mermaid gown with pleated illusion keyhole neckline and a floating Chantilly lace applique with soft blossom flange skirt; her hair was in a half up do and she chose to wear no veil. Gracing her neck was a simple and delicate silver necklace with a lapis lazuli stone Damon gifted her with for this occasion, something blue and something new he had said.

"I don't think I've ever seen something more beautiful in my life" Caroline said breathlessly as silent tears streamed down her face, Elena moved immediately and wrapped her friend in a tight hug.

She knew how hard this moment was on her blond friend, how it reminded her of the day of her own wedding, the day the love of her life went away to a place she could not follow. Elena knew it was hard on Damon too and to be honest it was also hard on herself, he was the one who brought her back to life after her parents death, if she was here today ready to marry the love of her life it was because of him. Stefan had been such an important part of their lives that picturing all those special moments without him was completely inconceivable, realizing someone you thought was going to exist forever was no longer here was a weight too heavy in their hearts.

"Let's stop with the tears" Caroline said breaking apart from her and smiling widely "Today is a happy day"

"The happiest of them all" Elena agreed with her friend.

A knock on the door interrupted the friends and Jeremy peaked inside to tell them everyone was ready and Bonnie should go to take her place. Damon had asked her to function as his 'best man', the place that should have been occupied by his brother.

With glistening eyes Bonnie hugged her friend tightly "I'll see you in a bit" She whispered before disappearing behind the door.

"It's time" Caroline said excitedly and the friends stood one in front of the other holding hands with big smiles on their faces because the day they had dreamed all their lives was finally here. Elena had missed Caroline's but the blonde girl was more than happy to be part of Elena's. "Let's go"

With a deep breath Elena walked out of the room and into the backyard where the wedding was being held. Damon and Elena decided to have the wedding in the backyard of the Salvatore Mansion, which now served as Alaric's and Caroline's school, it was the place where she first realized she loved him so it seemed fitting to have the wedding in the place that had witness their love over the years.

Damon stood at the aisle with nerves racking his body, he was as close as he ever was to reach real happiness, to make the woman he loved his wife and because of the way his life had worked so far he was filled with fear that everything was going to blow on his face and he would be denied his happy ending once again.

"Get a grip" He heard his best friend Bonnie muttered next to him but he couldn't answer her, couldn't form a single word because the soft music had started and Caroline and her girls were already walking towards him… and behind her was the woman that stole his heart with a glance, the woman that showed him compassion, the one who took a chance of him and saw him for more than the sadistic monster he pretended to be.

His eyes filled with tears as he stared at her, walking with her arm laced around her brother's, a big smile on her face and more beautiful than ever before, she was a princess and he was lucky enough to call her his.

Jeremy placed her hand on top of his and from that moment on Damon couldn't focus on anything else but her. On her sweet smile and the doe eyes that made him want to be a better man. There were so many things that weren't right about this moment, like the fact her parents should be here and his brother was supposed to be standing right next to him but in spite of that, this moment right there with her looking so beautiful and their child growing inside her it felt like the most right thing in the world.

The ceremony was a complete blur to him because he didn't seem able to notice anything but her and he only snapped out of his trance when the time of the vows came.

"Elena…" He took her hands between his "You know me better than anyone else in the world and you still manage to love me, you took a chance on me when nobody else did-"His voice caught in his throat and he had to take a breath to compose himself "…You are the greatest love of my life and there's a part of me today that cannot believe I'm the one who gets to marry you. That I got the girl." His lips lifted at the corners at this "I promise to spend the rest of my life working to be the man you deserve. I promise to love you in sickness and in health till death do us part." Her eyes where glistening with tears as she looked at him and a quick swipe around the guests made her realize half of them were crying already.

She took a deep breath and looked straight into his blue eyes "Damon…the mysterious stranger who had all the answers, the man who fought for me harder than anyone else, my once in a lifetime love" Her eyes were filled with love as she stared at him "You have given me everything I always wanted in life, you made me feel safe when I was scared and I know that no matter where life takes us we would always find our way back to each other" His grip on her hands grew tighter as she saw a sole tear roll down his cheek "I promise to love you in sickness and in health for as long as God allow us to… and I know that not even death will be able to tear us apart" He smiled at that.

They slipped the rings on their fingers and repeated the words the preacher told them to and when they were finally pronounced man and wife Damon swore his human heart was about to burst with happiness and as their lips met halfway for their first kiss as a married couple Damon realized that redemption was possible and the woman in front of him was the one who gave it to him… her and the man who was supposed to be next to him today, they decided he was worth saving and that's why he could be experiencing this moment.

"I love you Mr. Salvatore" Elena whispered against his lips as his arms encircled her waist and their guests cheered.

"I love you too Mrs. Salvatore" He said and she let out a delighted laugh at the words.

Today was the happiest day in their lives.

It was the day Damon Salvatore got his happy ending.


	8. Do you feel my heart beating?

**IMPORTANT**

 **Quick Poll you guys, I'm going to tattoo myself a quote from TVD but I can't decide which one, I have four choices which do you think would be best.**

" **You decided I was worth saving"**

" **It's been a hell of a ride"**

" **I was feeling epic"**

" **A love that consumes you"**

 **Please, let me know your favorite in a review ;)**

* * *

Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling  
Do you feel my heart beating  
Do you understand  
Do you feel the same  
Am I only dreaming  
Is this burning an eternal flame

 **-The Bangles-**

.

.

The sun was starting to set and the wind blew the threes around as she sat in the White swing on the White porch of the house her beloved husband re built for her so many moons ago. Her eyes were trained on the three little girls sitting around a makeshift table taking the tea, fake pearl necklaces around them and smiles so big on their lips; her mind taking her back to when she and her two best friends used to do the same while her mother prepared them sweet threats inside.

"It's quite a sight right?" The deep voice of her husband made her turn her head to meet his beautiful blue eyes.

She smiled up at him as if he held all the secrets of the universe "Yes, it is" Her eyes moved back to the girls taking the tea and the two boy pretending they didn't care they weren't invited.

He sat next to her on the swing and handed her a cup of hot chocolate as he sipped from his own cup. Elena's eyes stared at him and the wrinkles around his blue eyes "It's rude to stare" He said as his mouth curved into that smirk she knew so well. Her mind conjuring back the image of the forever young Damon Salvatore she met all those years ago, with the dark hair and leather jacket.

There was no more letter jacket and his hair was completely gray now but the eyes were still the same, as the smirk and that firm jawline that always drove her crazy. He had changed and also was the same and she never felt more love for him than right now.

"Do you ever regret it?" She asked as he extended his arm on top of the swing behind her and hugged her to him.

"Regret what?"

"Taking the cure" Her eyes were gentle as she looked at him. These days lately Elena wondered more than ever if he ever regretted becoming human, abandoning all the perks of vampirism and being the eternally young Damon Salvatore.

Just when his lips opened to answer they were interrupted by the loud shout of a little girl "Grandpa! Tell Dean to stop throwing things at us"

"I am not throwing anything"

"Of course you do, because we didn't invite you"

"I didn't even want to play your stupid games!"

As the children screamed at each other Elena stared at Damon and they both burst out laughing "With moments like this, how could I ever regret anything?" He told her, answering the question she asked seconds ago "Kids, quiet!" At the command in his voice the chaos stopped, even at his age Damon had that dangerous vibe that made everyone fear him.

"It's story time" Elena said motioning for the children to move to the porch with them. The stars were already appearing in the sky as four of the children sat on the floor in front of them while Miranda, Stefan's youngest one, climbed on top of Damon's lap.

"What story is today grandma?" The little girl asked

"Well it's the story about a princess" Elena said with a smile as she tweaked her granddaughter's nose.

"A very lonely princess who was very sad. She had the most beautiful long brown hair and hazel eyes that could pierce any man soul" Damon continued as he shot a quick glance to Elena.

"Is this a romantic story?" Dean and his cousin Ryan scrunched up their noses in disgust.

Alice shot them an annoyed look "Shh let them continue"

"So… this princess met two very handsome knights. One was good and the other one was bad. So who do you think she fell for?" Elena raised an eye brow as she stared at the children sitting in front of them.

"The good one" The three girls answered at the same time.

Elena smiled "Of course. She fell in love with the good Knight and they lived very happy together until-"

Damon interrupted her "Until the most evil vampire in the world showed up in the kingdom"

"Vampires are scary" Miranda said while lifting her eyes and staring at her grandfather.

He smiled gently at her "You think so sweetheart?" She nodded and Damon held her closer.

"Well what happened? Why was he there?" Ryan asked eager to know the rest of the story.

"The evil vampire King wanted to kill to princess to make himself more powerful. He made her suffer for a long long time" Damon continued and looked at Elena with sympathy.

"But the bad knight was always there to protect her and save her when it was needed to" Elena smiled widely while staring at her husband.

"But wasn't he bad?" Dean asked.

"It turns out he wasn't, he just pretended to be bad. And the princess couldn't help but fall in love with him too" She looked at Damon with dreamy eyes, a look that no matter how long they had been married always managed to make his heart soar.

"Because he was also the most handsome man she had ever seen" He smirked and Elena smacked his arm.

"And the most annoying"

"So once the evil vampire was defeated the princess and the knight got married" Damon said

"And lived happily ever after" Elena continued, clapping her hands in front of her lap.

"Well at least that's one way to make it up short" Damon muttered under his breath so none of the children could hear.

"And what happened with the good knight?" Odette asked.

A smile appeared on Damon's face at the memory of his brother "He met another princess, one with golden hair and eyes blue as the sky. They fell in love and got married as well"

"Did they live happily ever after?" Miranda asked

Elena and Damon shared a quick sad look "No, they did not"

"Why?"

Damon took a deep breath before continuing "Because when a bigger threat came into the kingdom he sacrificed himself so everyone could be save" If he closed his eyes he could still see the face of his brother that day, the day he gave him the chance to live. "He was the good knight after all"

"And he died?" Alice asked with a sad face.

"Yes he died" Elena answered sadly.

Damon looked at the gloomy faces of the children and smiled sadly before continuing "And he turned into an angel who now looks after little children…" He pointed at all of them"… just like you. His name was Stefan"

Miranda gasped "My daddy's name is Stefan!"

"I know" Damon answered and bumped his forehead with his granddaughter's

Small smiles appeared on the children faces "And the golden princess?"

"She keeps waiting for the time when she can meet her love again"

The three little girls sighed with dreamy eyes and Elena couldn't help but smile at them, they were so innocent and joyful, just like she had been once upon a time.

In that moment two cars parked in front of the house and Damon and Elena's children Stefan and Ophelia walked out. Alice and Dean were Ophelia's children and Odette, Ryan and Miranda were Stefan's. Their youngest son Robert was an eternal bachelor and refused to get married, Elena often blamed Damon for that one.

"What were you talking about?" Stefan asked as he and his sister climbed the porch steps

Dean stared at his uncle and answered "They told us a story, about the evil vampire king and the two knights"

"Vampire huh?" Ophelia looked at her parents with a raised eye brow.

It had been hard when they were forced to tell the truth to their children. No parent wants to let them know monsters are real and that they used to be one of them but since their lives were never going to be truly normal they had to find a way to explain the forever young aunt Caroline, the school their uncle Ric ran and why their aunt Bonnie and their cousins could do magical things.

It hadn't been easy but they had found a way to make it work.

"Vampires are scary" Miranda said and her father chuckled.

"I'm sure they are" He told her as he took her into his arms "Come on let's go inside. Jason and Robbie are coming in a few minutes, they are bringing the food"

Robbie had chosen to become a police officer and currently worked with Jason, Ophelia's husband and Matt's son, Damon was never going to get over that blow.

"Let's get the table ready" Ophelia said as she motioned the children to follow her inside. "See you inside guys" She leaned down and kissed her father's cheek before walking into the house.

Damon took a deep breath and hugged his wife more tightly "No, there's no way I could regret this" Elena smiled and rested her head on his chest as they watched the starry sky.

He would never stop being amazed with the fact that life allowed him such happiness, that he got to spend a lifetime with the woman he loved and made a family with her.

A shooting star passed right on top of them and Elena squeezed his leg to let him known "Make a wish Damon" She whispered as her eyes gazed into his blue ones.

He looked back at her with a small smile on his lips "It already came true" He told her before pressing their lips together in a sweet kiss.


	9. Home is a feeling

**As requested, just a little thing about Delena sending one of their children to college**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

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"I've learned that home isn't a place, it's a feeling."

 **-Cecelia Ahern-**

 **.**

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Damon, Elena and two of their children were standing in the beautiful gardens of Brown University; it was a sunny Saturday morning, the air was a bit chilly and the birds sang happily in the sky. Damon had his right arm around his daughter's slender frame while his left hand gripped his wife's tightly.

"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" He looked down at the hazel eyes of his daughter.

Ophelia laughed softly "Daddy…"

"I'm just saying Whitmore is a really good school"

"Damon…" Elena warned with a chuckle.

He had gone crazy when Ophelia told them she was going out of state for college; he threw a tantrum as well when Stefan decided to go to Columbia but it was even worst with Ophelia, she was his little girl and he still wasn't ready to let her go.

"Okay they had some questionable teachers and they did allow Alaric to teach there but-"

"Daddy…"

He sighed "All right, all right"

Ophelia smiled at her father and circled his waist with her arms "You know I love you right?"

"Oh I love you too" He answered before placing a kiss into her forehead "Just bear with me the first weeks, I might call you everyday"

Ophelia beamed at him "You can call me as many times as you can" She stood up on her tippy toes and kissed his cheek before releasing him and moving towards her mother.

Her arms went around the slender frame of her mother and Elena hugged her as tight as she could, tears were glistening in her eyes but she refused to let them fall, the last thing she wanted was for Ophelia to feel bad about leaving "Goodbye sweetheart"

Ophelia held tightly onto her mother, she was excited about college but being away from her family was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done. She would miss her father's jokes and her mother's advices, her warm hugs and hot chocolate on cold nights "Goodbye mommy" She released her mother and tried to hold back her tears as she kneeled down to be leveled with her little brother "Goodbye Robbie Rob" His small arms went around her and she couldn't hold the tear that trailed down her cheek.

"Bye Phi" He murmured against her hair.

She broke apart from him and ruffled his hair "You be good with mom and dad"

"Always" He nodded solemnly.

"Yeah right" Elena said with a chuckle.

"You're more like me than what I would like" Damon said and they all couldn't help but laugh at it because it was the utter and complete truth. Of their three children Robbie was the one who was the most alike to Damon, and it wasn't just the blue eyes and dark hair but the confidence and the capacity to say the most inventive of things all the time.

Ophelia sighed as she looked around the members of her family, Stefan had wanted to come but school didn't allow him to, her lower lip and trembled and in a minute she was engulfed in a Salvatore group hug.

"You take care baby" Elena said as she placed a kiss on her daughter's cheek.

"We'll call you tonight" Damon said unable to hide the catch on his voice.

Ophelia nodded and bit her lip to stop the tears from falling "Bye guys" She waved awkwardly before turning away and started walking in direction of the dorm rooms.

Damon placed his arm around Elena's shoulder and she rested her head on his chest "I can't believe we're sending our second child to college" She whispered as they watched the figure of Ophelia disappearing in the distance.

"And you all thought I wouldn't know how to save money"

"We are pretty awesome parents don't we?"

"We are"

Twelve year old Robbie chuckled "Don't worry guys I'll never be leaving Mystic Falls"

Damon's eyes moved to their youngest son "Yeah right, let's see what you think in a few years" He muttered, already dreading the day they would have to see his little one going away too.

Robbie planted himself in front of them and stared at him with a solemn expression "I'm serious; I'll be a police like uncle Matt"

Damon groaned "Oh no please, why God?"

"Damon…" Elena warned as she chuckled.

"I want to be the sheriff" Robbie said proudly and Damon smiled warmly at him.

He ruffled his son's hair "Well… I did like the sheriffs in town" His mind going back to one of his best friends, one of the many who got lost along the way. He wondered briefly what Liz would think of him now; would she think he was doing a good job as a parent?

With another sigh they turned around and started walking towards the Camaro, Robbie was ahead of them looking marveled at everything around him "Two kids in college… We're leaving our youth behind" Damon said

"No we're not" Elena answered and then looked at him as she extended her hand to caress his hair "Well maybe your gray hair thinks different"

"I don't have-"He started to protest but when he saw the mischievous smile on her face he leaned down and kissed her softly "Funny" He murmured against her lips.

Truth be told Damon did have more than a couple of grey hairs scattered around his once dark black hair, but to Elena it only made him look hotter, she was always telling him he looked even better than Eric Dane and Josh Duhamel put together.

Robbie was the first to climb in when they reached the Camaro; Damon went around so he could get in the driver seat but stopped when he saw Elena standing outside the open door of the passenger seat "Is something wrong?"

Her lips widened in a smile "Wanna go on a road trip?"

"What?"

"Feel like spending a couple of hours with me and your son on the road?"

"Well…"

"What?"

"You're not the worst company in the world" They grinned at each other as their minds went back to a memory that seemed to belong to a different life. How different they were from that pair of frenemies that climbed inside that very same car so many years ago.

Damon lifted an eye brow "Georgia?"

"Yeah" She nodded eagerly.

He nodded before giving her a devilish smirk "Let's go then Mrs. Salvatore" They got inside the car as fast as they could. "Hey, Robbie guess what…"

And just like that Damon and Elena were once again in the road, in the way to a new adventure.

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 **Review?**


	10. As you wish

It was a quiet Sunday night, Damon was resting on the couch while Elena lay half draped on top of him, thought he always said they would never be one of those couples who did everything together, they were currently reading the same book. Damon held 'A tale of two cities' in front of him as they both read the words in quiet silence.

Robbie was already fast asleep upstairs, Stefan was sprawled on the other couch with his Ipad in front of him and Ophelia was in the floor with her nose buried in whatever book she was currently reading.

The fire crackled in the chimney as the Salvatore family enjoyed a peaceful night together.

"Hey guys…can I ask you a question?" Ophelia's voice made them snap their heads up and when they saw the way their daughter was looking at them Damon placed the marker on the book and closed it.

"What question sweetheart?"

"How did you know you were in love?"

Damon and Elena stared at each other with confused looks "What?" even Stefan had removed his headphones and was now staring weirdly at his sister.

"Is this about Jason?" Elena asked as she sat upright and smoothed down her messy hair.

"It's just in my books there's always this kind of epic love" She said raising the book she was currently reading in the air "And you know everyone always say that kind of thing doesn't exists, Karina says I'll never marry because I'll always be waiting for a prince charming to come"

Damon started talking "Well Karina sounds like a bitter-"Elena slapped his arm and stopped him from continuing "She's wrong" He said instead.

"I know she is, because that kind of loves exits. I see it in you guys" She looked at them with warm eyes and they couldn't help but smile at her "You're not like other parents, you're always touching and kissing, and just being nice each other"

Stefan piped in "It's so gross" He grimaced

Ophelia rolled her eyes at her brother "No it's not, its sweet"

"Disturbing" The older Salvatore muttered under his breath.

Ophelia ignored her brother's comment and turned her attention back to her parents "So?"

Damon chuckled while sitting up and looking at Elena "Well I knew it since the moment I saw her"

She rolled her eyes at him "No you didn't"

"Yes I did" He smirked "She was walking alone in a deserted road and I confused her with someone I met before" His eyes became thoughtful, his memory taking him back to that moment all those years ago "But the moment those eyes looked at me I knew she couldn't be that other person" He smiled at Elena and caressed her cheek with his hand "And from that moment she bewitched me"

She smiled at him "Of course not, you were mean to me"

Damon laughed "It was a clear case of kindergarten kid. I liked you so I bullied you"

"Ridiculous"

He stared at her with amusement before returning his attention back to his daughter "It didn't helped that she was always so callous to me back then and resisted my charms"

"I had a boyfriend you know" She told him.

They never had mentioned their children about the fact that Elena had dated both Salvatore brothers, they felt it was too complicated to explain the whole I dated your uncle Stefan who later got married to your aunt Caroline who once upon a time had a thing with your father. So they decided to keep that little part of their lives a secret.

Stefan raised his eye brows while looking at his father "So you stole mom away?"

"Of course not" Damon defended himself

"Yes, he did" Elena smiled and jabbed him with her elbow "In fact the first time he tried to kiss me I slapped him because of it"

"You did?" Ophelia's eyes light up with delight and even Stefan snickered at that piece of information.

Damon stared at Elena with a frown "She actually has done that several times" He murmured under his breath.

"But why?" Stefan asked, fully interested in the story now.

"Because I had a boyfriend and he approached me all arrogant with that conceited smile I hate so much and said 'You feel yourself drawn to me, you think about me and I bet you even dream about me" Elena looked at Damon under her lashes "And I know you wanna kiss me"

"It was not conceited"

"Of course it was"

"And the fact that you memorized my entire speech proves you actually thought about me way too much" He smirked and she jabbed at his side playfully.

"That is not true at all, you're just too arrogant. Anyway, he tried to kiss me and I was not going to let that happen" She told her children with a serious expression "I had a boyfriend so I smacked that smirk out of his face"

Damon rolled his eyes before giving her a suggestive smile "You know you wanted to kiss me"

Elena gripped his knee and gave him a condescending smile "Keep telling yourself that darling, I was resisting your charms just fine"

"She did not" He mouthed to his children who couldn't help but laugh at his father's antics.

Ophelia looked at Elena eagerly "So how did you know then? Then you loved him and not your boyfriend?"

"Well while he claims it was love at first sight for him…which I don't believe" She threw a look at her husband "It was different for me… one day he was that arrogant idiot and the next one I was madly in love with him, I didn't realize it" Her smile was warm when she looked at him "He just got under my skin and one day I just couldn't get him out"

"Way to go dad" Stefan raised a hand in the air and cheered.

"She wasn't going to be able to resist me for long," He smiled that haughty smile that Elena both loved and hated so much.

"And it was the most real thing I ever felt" Elena ignored his comment as her mind was lost in the remembrance of the moment she knew she loved him, how strong her feelings had been, how she felt like anything was possible "And we lived happily ever after" And most importantly how she realized he was the only one who could give her everything she always wanted.

"With a bunch of bumps down the road, but who wants to hear about that right?" Damon said under his breath earning himself another jab from his wife.

Ophelia seemed to mull over her parents words for a while before she spoke again "So do you think is possible that I could fall in love without realizing it?"

"Of course it is" Elena answered instantly "Slow burn romances are the best"

Damon shook his head "If it's with that Donovan kid then no, you can't"

"Damon…"

Ophelia beamed at her parents and then moved her attention back to the book in her lap "Thanks mom, thanks dad"

Damon looked at her with widened eyes "Wait… that is not what I wanted you to learn from this story"

Stefan laughed under his breath "It seems like it backfired on you dad" He put his headphones on as his attention moved back to his Ipad once again.

Damon shook his head before draping himself on the couch "Why couldn't we move to New York?" He said as Elena settled at his side for a second time that night, their bodies pressing together in the most comfortable of ways.

She snuggled into his chest "Because this is your home and you wouldn't want it any other way"

"Yeah yeah" He opened the book right where they had left it and raised it in front of him so they could start reading again.

After a few silent minutes and a couple of words read, Elena lifted her head and stared into the blue eyes of the stranger she met at the side of the road a long long time ago "I love you"

He smiled warmly at her "I love you too Mrs. Salvatore"

And just like that they went back to their Sunday night routine. Never in a million years would they have thought this was going to be the path where life will lead them. The evil brother who caused havoc around the world and the kind doppelganger who saved him from himself.

An epic love story without a doubt.


	11. One and the same

**Hello there!**

 **I know it's been a while but it seems like my muse for this story has been taking a nap lately, I honestly don't know when I'll update again so I hope you enjoy this little thing I pieced together for you.**

 **I want to remember you that I don't use a beta for this story so I apologize for any mistakes you can find.**

 **Love,**

 **Sam**

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" **Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while."**

 **-William Goldman-**

 **.**

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Elena was in the window seat with a book opened in her lap and her head resting against the glass window, a starry night looked back at her as her mind wandered to thoughts of him. It was strange, being in this place, but nothing less than beautiful.

One second she was in a hospital bed holding Damon's hand and the next one her body had transformed to her twenty three year old version and his hand was no longer holding hers, instead she was back in her childhood home being held by her family again. She had been happy, her heart bursting with joy at seeing everyone she lost along the way once again.

With time she learned that this was where everyone who found peace was at, she saw Stefan and Lexi, Jo and Alaric, Enzo, Liz and even Tyler and Vicky. Here there was no pain or suffering, there were no evil monsters trying to hunt them or terrible diseases lurking in the corner. There was only light and peace.

Elena had no idea how long she had been here, it could have been days or months, time was an odd thing in this place. The only thing she knew was that no matter how happy she was she still missed him with every bone in her body, it was the first time they were apart since she woke up from her supernatural coma and there were moments when the loss was too much to bear. She missed her children too, and her grandchildren, she missed Caroline, Bonnie and Jeremy as well.

A hand stroked her cheek and made her step away from her thoughts, her eyes lifted and she found the smiling face of her mother staring down at her "He'll be here my darling" It still surprised her to hear her soft voice after so long "You just have to wait a bit longer"

Elena let her mother caress her cheek "I know, I just wish it was time already" A part of her wondered if she was being selfish wanting Damon to be here with her instead of back home with their children but deep down she knew this would be what he wanted too.

Damon and Elena were one and the same; they always knew that once one of them was gone the other wouldn't be able to survive long.

"They're all waiting for us" Miranda gestured to the dining room where she knew her family was. They even had invited Jo, Alaric and Liz to dinner.

"Stefan is not here yet"

"I'm sure he won't take long" Miranda said with a wink before walking away and leaving Elena in her spot next to window.

She sighed and closed the book in her lap 'Gone with the wind' she still remembered how absurd it had seemed to her when she found the book in Damon's bedroom all those years ago. It had been one of his favorites and once they got married they had read it at least once a year, together.

Who would have told her that the man she met at that lonely road once upon a time would end up being her true soul mate. 'You want a love that consumes you' he had said and his worlds couldn't be more true, that was exactly what she needed and he had been the one to give it to her.

He was the big bad vampire who ended up having the biggest heart of anyone she ever met, the loving husband who had cried when their first child was born, the doting father who gave everything for their children, the big brother who never got over the loss of his own blood.

He was the man she loved and the man she was waiting.

With a sigh she stood up and placed the book in the seat, her feet were moving towards the kitchen when a knock on the door made her stand still. She didn't know how but she knew it was him, something in her heart was telling her the other piece of her was waiting right in the other side of the door.

The entry seemed to be so far away as her legs moved as fast as they could, her heart beating a mile a minute as each step took her closer to her husband, she knew it was him.

She yanked open the door and there he was. With a dark shirt and a hopeful look in his blue eyes, it was a shock to her seeing him so young after spending her entire life with him; there were no more gray hairs and wrinkles around the eyes.

"Damon…" She breathed out, her eyes filled with tears and a lump in her throat as her eyes raked the length of him.

Without wasting any time he swooped her in his embrace and twirled her around by the open door, in front of Stefan, Lexie and everyone who had exited the dining room to see the reunion between the two lovers. "My Elena…" He whispered against her hair as her arms clung to him tightly.

The images of her sick body in that hospital bed were still fresh in his mind, it had been mere days since she passed away but for him it felt like years, without her he felt incomplete and only now that she was in his arms he felt fully happy again.

"Promise me this is forever" He whispered as he placed her down on the floor and stared into the brown doe eyes he had missed so much.

Her lips widened in a smile as a memory that seemed to belong to another lifetime came to her, rain pouring on top of them as he looked at her with the biggest smile on his face and stars in his eyes, she had known in that moment that their love was eternal.

"I promise you"

His smiled matched hers as the realization that this time they would indeed have forever hit them, they would never have to be without the other again and there was no better feeling in the world knowing that nothing was going to break them apart anymore.

"Kiss me Damon"

"As you wish" He answered and leaned down to press their lips together, still oblivious to everyone around them. They were alone, in their own little world where nothing else existed but their love and the immense joy at being reunited again.

Once they were able to pull away Damon greeted with a smile to his best friend Ric; with tears in his eyes he hugged Liz Forbes, one of whom he had missed the most; and with an equally emotional response he received an enthusiastic hug from the lovely Aunt Jenna.

His heart was racing a mile a minute when he was introduced to Miranda and Grayson Gilbert, he was afraid they could think he wasn't enough to Elena but they were as warm and welcoming as everyone else had been, because where they were the only thing that mattered was love and the people you loved.

They all got together at the dining table, celebrating the arrival of their new member. Elena's heart was overwhelmed with joy as she casted her eyes around the table and saw everyone she loved in there with her, she missed her children of course, and she thought briefly she was being a bit selfish but she knew that they would be okay without them, they had each other.

But she would never be okay without Damon; she needed him like once she needed air. And as she lifted her face and stared at his blue eyes from where he was sitting next to her she knew that this was where they were supposed to be. The big bad vampire with a heart of gold and the lonely doppelganger looking for passion were finally going to spend eternity together because nothing can stop true love and there was never a truest love that the one they shared.

Once upon a time he had promised her forever and now he was delivering it to her.


End file.
